No-grip doorknob cover



United States Patent O NO-GRB DOORKNOB COVER Henry Zietlow, Wausau, Wis. Application July 8, 1954, Serial No. 442,008

1 Claim. (Cl. 292-347) This invention relates to devices for preventing children opening doors, such as a door leading to a basement or to an attic, and in particular, a tube formed of a mesh which is capable of being molded, twisted paper, hard cord, or the like, positioned over a door knob and gathered together and tied on both sides of a knob whereby the device slips around on the knob when a child attempts to open the door by turning the knob and wherein the knob may be turned and the door opened by an adult firmly gripping the knob.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a device that may readily be installed on door knobs to prevent children being injured by opening doors leading to stairways and the like.

In numerous instances, children open doors and not only get into mischief, but are injured by falling down stairways or playing with articles that are readily damaged and as inside doors are not provided with locks it is diliicult to prevent such doors being opened by small children.

With this thought in mind, this invention contemplates a cover for a door knob in which the cover is formed of material that readily slides or slips around the knob unless the complete knob is gripped by hand.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a door knob cover that is formed of such material that friction-gripping contact between the cover and knob is not obtained without completely gripping the cover and knob from all sides.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door knob cover that readily slides around the knob, particularly when gripped by small children, in which the cover is adapted to be used on conventional knobs now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cover adapted to be positioned over a door knob to prevent the door knob being turned by small children in which the cover is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages 'in view, the invention embodies a comparatively short length of tubular material, such as a mesh which is capable of being molded, twisted paper, and hard cord in which tie strings are threaded through both ends to facilitate gathering and tying both ends of `the material with the material placed over a door knob.

Other features and advantages of the invention w-ill appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the improved door knob cover with one end of the cover gathered and tied with a cord or the like and with the opposite end open to facilitate positioning the cover on a door knob.

Figure 2 is a perspective View illustrating the use of the improved door cover and showing the cover positloned on a door knob.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view illustrating "a modication wherein a door knob is replaced with a sleeve positioned over the stem or lock bolt and in which the device is secured to the lock bolt with a set screw similar to the set screw of a door knob.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved door knob cover of this invention includes a length 10 of tubular material having a cord 11 for securing one end of the material gathered or in a closed position and a cord 12 threaded through the material and spaced from `the opposite end whereby the device may be retained in position over a door knob, as shown in Figure 2.

With the device formed of a material, such as a loose mesh which is capable of being molded, twisted paper, or hard cord, it will be dilicult to obtain suicient friction-gripping contact with a door knob over which it is positioned to permit a small child to turn the knob to open a door, whereas with the large hand of an adult extended completely over the material and door knob, the knob may readily be turned and the door opened.

With the cord 12 on the inside of the door knob tied with a bow knot, the cover may readily be removed and replaced as desired.

In instances where it is substantially impossible to use the mesh cover on a door knob, the knob may be removed and replaced with a stem or sleeve 13, as shown in Figure 3, the stem being provided with an enlarged hub or base 14 having a set screw 15 therein and also having a flange 16 on the end of the hub, the ilange being adapted to be positioned against a base plate 17 of a door latch or lock, The set screw 15 secures the device on a stem or bolt 18 and whereas the bolt is adapted to be rotated by the member 13 it would be ditiicult for a small child to turn the device sufficiently to open a door.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claim, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

Means for preventing rotation of a door knob by small children, comprising Aa body of mesh material, said body having its ends open, a pair of cords threaded through said mesh material, said cords being arranged adjacent the ends of the body of mesh material, one of said cords adapted tov draw the material together to close the outer end thereof, the other of said cords adapted to draw the material together over the stem of the door knob over which the material is positioned so that by untying the outer cord, the cover can be pushed back to expose the door knob and whereby the innermost cord will still support the cover, and whereby when a child attempts to open the door by turning the knob with the cover on the knob, the cover will slip around the knob, but when an adult firmly grips the cover and applies sucient manual pressure thereto, the door knob can be turned.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,337,859 Tipton Apr. 20, 1920 1,633,988 Jones June 28, 1927 2,035,384 Hinchlili Mar. 24, 1936 2,557,517 Scruggs lune 19, 1951 2,587,285 Broscoe Feb. 26, 1952 2,610,877 Weaver Sept. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 832,556 -France Sept. 29, 1938 1,009,624 France v,-,--..-.. Mar. 12,1952 

